


Tall Girl and a Lightweight

by i_luv_obiwan91



Series: Steve & Lizzie [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: 1940s, Alternate Universe - 1940s, F/M, First Date, First Kiss, First Meeting, Fluff, New Neighbor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-13
Updated: 2015-05-13
Packaged: 2018-03-30 09:18:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3931417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/i_luv_obiwan91/pseuds/i_luv_obiwan91
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Somehow he was smiling again, and he saw that Elizabeth was smiling, too, listening and looking over. When was the last time his smile hadn’t just been for show? It’d been a rough couple of weeks. Or year, for that matter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tall Girl and a Lightweight

“Here, let me help you with that.” Steve hurried over to the young woman and caught a couple of the brown paper bags before an egg carton could spill over the top of one. She thanked him profusely, smiling and blushing like he’d seen so many girls react to Bucky’s displays of chivalry before. To catch himself from staring at the pretty flush on her cheeks, Steve realized he recognized her. “Hey, you just moved in at the ---- building, right? Down the hall…?” He was left hanging for a moment of hesitation, but then a grin found her lips and Steve found himself smiling in relief.

“Yeah! Oh, are you my neighbor?” She moved one bag of groceries over to prop in her left arm for a moment and offered her right hand for a quick shake. “I’m Elizabeth Wells.”

“Steve Rogers. Nice to meet you, Elizabeth.” His grin was gone, but now Steve felt his face heat up enough to show some color on pale cheeks. Elizabeth was a tall girl, and beautiful. Not usually the type of girl who’d give him the time of day. After just a minute or so of awkward silence, the two of them began walking back to the apartments where they lived, finding a few things to chat idly about along the way. Since she was new to the area, Steve mentioned a few places good for the essentials; a shop here that would give her better price on cheese, the tailor around the corner who’d give out scrap material if you needed to mend your own clothes.

“That’s good to know. I just got my first paycheck, so I’m stocking up on a few things. Probably could’ve got some of these a bit cheaper.”

Steve’s expression was polite as he shrugged, acknowledging that she overpaid for some small luxuries that he hadn’t had in a long time. His arms were getting tired carrying the canned goods in his load, and he could see her hefting the paper sacks a little higher in her own grasp. “Maybe I should come with you next time you get groceries.” He offered, and instead of sarcasm or a doubtful look at his smaller stature, the woman laughed lightly at the burden in her arms and said that sounded like a great idea. Somehow he was smiling again, and he saw that Elizabeth was smiling, too, listening and looking over. When was the last time his smile hadn’t just been for show? It’d been a rough couple of weeks. Or _year_ , for that matter.

Right on cue, Elizabeth looked at him again with concern and nodded as a gesture toward the purple—and turning green—bruise encircling his right eye. Her face was genuinely sympathetic for his discomfort. “So how did you get that, Steve?”

“Oh… It’s not that bad. Almost healed up, actually.” He shrugged off the attention, not crazy about discussing it. Elizabeth left it there, and didn’t push.

“How ‘bout I make you dinner tonight? As a thanks for welcoming me to the neighborhood, and for carrying my groceries?” When she caught his eye, Steve almost tripped on an uneven piece of sidewalk. “You can be my first!” Added on as a ‘pretty please,’ Elizabeth paused before turning a dark shade of red and looking away, flustered. “—Uh, my first _dinner_ guest, I mean. You know, but, if you’ve got other plans, that’s fine…” They were up the steps and at her door now, giving the poor woman a chance to fiddle with her keys to stall for embarrassment.

It took Steve a full minute to process the fact that a gorgeous dame had just asked him over for dinner—like a _date_. And he hadn’t answered yet. “Well…” He shrugged, unsure for a moment, but settling on a smirk now that his ego had received a bit of a boost. “What time should I come by?”

The door gave way to her efforts suddenly, a loaf of bread tipped over to fall from her sack, and Elizabeth looked at him with a bright smile, unexpectedly rewarded for her boldness. “Um, how does seven sound?”

“Seven’s great.” With groceries dropped off on her counter, Steve’s arms felt like jelly, and neither one could really meet the other’s eye for nervousness. Not until she walked him to the door and they were both brave enough at the same time to share a sweet smile. “See you at seven.” He couldn’t help but say it like a promise.

Elizabeth’s smile brightened her rosewood eyes, but her voice was soft. “Okay.” She watched Steve walk to the end of the hall a little taller.

 

Steve couldn’t decide if it was better or worse not having Bucky there for his date. Gone for training camp, he couldn’t ask his friend’s advice on the important things: Aftershave? Cologne? Nothing? _No, not_ nothing. How early should he be? Should he be on time? Should he bring anything? _No, he wasn’t about to bring a can of_ beans _to offer his hostess._ But then, Steve knew it was probably okay that his best friend wasn’t there to tease him endlessly or make him more self-conscious than he already was. Sure, Buck would’ve been supportive, but only _after_ a good ribbing to get him a little rattled.

So, putting on his best shirt and tie—which weren’t _that_ nice, but weren’t too worn out—Steve knocked on Mrs. Talbott’s door to barter one of her balcony roses for portrait he’d drawn of her a couple of weeks ago—she really was a sweet old woman—and made his way to Elizabeth’s door at five minutes to seven. He glanced at his watch before finally deciding to knock. A couple more minutes wouldn’t make any difference.

By a quarter to nine, they’d eaten a delicious shepherd’s pie, shared a bottle of coca cola in two glasses, and talked easily enough about their lives that they didn’t notice the time, and couldn’t care. Steve was too distracted by the braided belt around her linen-skirted waist to look much at his watch. Elizabeth’s blouse was a pretty, pink and purple floral thing that tucked into her skirt and very much resembled the pink rose he’d brought her—a gift which made her promptly pour their soda in glasses so she could wash the bottle and use it as a vase—and very nearly the same pink that colored the apples of her cheeks.

A while after they’d finished dinner, Elizabeth ushered her guest to go sit on the little couch across the room and Steve obediently went, fiddling with his wrinkled trousers while she put the dishes in the sink. “Do you want to put on some music? I’ve got a little radio that should work if the weather’s clear.” From the kitchen Elizabeth asked him hopefully, grasping for kosher ways to invite the young man to stay longer.

Steve nodded with a smile, glad to stay as well. He’d never got on so well with a girl, especially one so smart and pretty, who didn’t talk to him like he was any different than any other guy. Waiting patiently as she wiped her hands and went to get the radio out of her bedroom, he saw her return with the prize and smiled bright enough to make him melt a little. Steve watched her set it on the table and tune it with a careful hand, putting both hands out to steady it once she backed away and came to sit by him. Elizabeth sat as close as possible without touching thighs, but he couldn’t help feeling the brush of her skirt on his leg and wishing she were closer.

After listening to a couple songs in comfortable silence, Elizabeth turned her head to him, cutting her eyes up a few times to glance at him through her lashes. “Thank you again for my flower, Steve, it really is lovely.” She was fiddling with her hands, long fingers twiddling, lacing, and twirling until he felt hypnotized.

“You’re welcome, Elizabeth.” His own hands moved to settle on top of his thighs, thankfully wiping his palms a little bit dry in the process.

“If you like, you can call me Lizzie.” Steve met her gaze now that her voice had grown soft, and found himself caught in those brown eyes like a fairy thicket in winter. “No one’s called me that in a long time.” She mused, something like longing in her tone.

Steve cleared his throat a bit, before asking gently. “Who used to call you that?”

Elizabeth’s smile was fond, and he hoped it wasn’t for remembering someone romantically. “My Granddad.” He relaxed. “But he’s been gone quite a while, so I haven’t been hearing many nicknames or endearments since then.”

“ _Lizzie_ sounds like it could be its own endearment.” Steve murmured, not realizing that they’d both lowered their voices to match a much softer song on the radio.

Her eyes changed a little, then, and Steve wondered if there really was fairy magic at work in them, because he could swear they deepened in color as she responded. “It can if you say it right.”

She was inviting him to try. Her body was turned a little more toward his, her lovely head inclined just so, and Steve wanted more than anything to do this right. “ _Lizzie…_ ” Her eyes slipped closed and she held still, he’d said it right. Carefully, Steve moved to match her position and leaned in until their lips were brushing together. Elizabeth gave a little sigh, which parted those lips and let them fit better together with his. Touching her lightly on the cheek, Steve pressed a little longer against her mouth, his own lips still closed, until pulling away seemed appropriate. His heart was racing, and his hand was still holding her face, stroking that soft cheek with his thumb while this lasted.

With a careful breath, Elizabeth opened her eyes and met his clear blue pair with a nervous smile that somehow comforted him. It was confusing, but a good confusing. Steve smiled as well and her face turned pink again. “I like it when you say it, Steve.”

“Okay.”


End file.
